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How Cafes Can Cater To Both Local & Out-Of-Town Customers

By Jon Hainstockon
Jul 22, 2016

Attracting a mix of customers to your cafe is good for business. But, how can cafes cater to both local and out-of-town customers.

In this article, we look at ways to appeal to both groups of customers. Perhaps you live in a tourist town, and you need to attract locals during the off-season and tourists during the season.

Or, perhaps you’d just like to attract locals and out of towners. In this article, we tell you how.

How to Cater to Out-of-Town Customers

For most people on vacation or the monthly business trip, eating out is a necessity and something people enjoy.

The question before us today is how you can cater to and attract these customers.

Build a Website

If you don’t have a website for your café, you must create a mobile-friendly, responsive website today.

When someone from out-of-town is looking for a place to eat, the first place they go is the Internet. They do a quick Google search, or they simply ask Siri for restaurants nearby.

With a website, you ensure you’ll be found.

Get Added to Hotel Directories

You know those hotel books that list all of the hotel info and then include a grouping of restaurants?

Visit your local hotels, or at least hotels close to your restaurant, and find out what you have to do to be included in their notebooks.

This is a great way to get noticed sooner.

Hand Out Menus

Perhaps that same hotel has an area for local attractions where you can leave a menu or brochure for your café.

Or, they might have a bulletin board where you can leave a menu.

You can also visit car rental shops and ask if you can leave menus with them as well.

Get a Yelp Listing

Restaurants and cafes are the most searched for listing on mobile phones.

Many out-of-towners are searching for cafes on their mobile phone, and they often go to Yelp to find a place to eat.

Why? Yelp is the go-to place to look for good cafés and café reviews.

Get Listed on Allmenus

Another good place to get listed is on Allmenus. This superb directory includes listings for thousands of restaurants and includes the café’s menu.

Allmenus website is often found through Google, Yahoo and Bing searches.

Get Listed on Foursquare

Foursquare is a popular restaurant directory.

Café visitors like to check in and comment about restaurants, and visitors to Foursquare can gain valuable insight into your café.

Create a Google+ Business Listing

This is an absolute must for your business success. Google just might reward you in searches if you have a Google+ Business page.

When most people begin their restaurant search, their go-to is Google. Making sure you have a business listing increases your odds of being found. It also can link straight to your online menu and Open Table.